And So We Meet Again
by Silent Melancholia
Summary: How could she lie there on the bed she shared with Brock with her thoughts and heart focused on another man? A man that had once been a best friend to both of them. -- My take on a realistic Ash/Misty/Brock triangle
1. Will you still be there in the morning?

And So We Meet Again…

Chapter One:Will you still be there in the morning?

* * *

__

I wanna know that

Feeling that's from way back

A time when it was true that

Love was sweet and innocent

When you and I could still be friends

Make all the wrong be right again

Where true love never has to end

* * *

Misty Slate happily breathed in a fresh breeze of air as she stepped out of her home and onto the plush grass of her lawn. She could detect a faint hint of ocean in the wind, as she often did in her small hometown of Cerulean. It was comforting, awakening her senses more than her cup of coffee had. There was nothing she loved more than the smell of the sea.

Checking again to make sure she had everything, she adjusted the strap on her purse and set forth towards the market. It was early Tuesday morning, her weekly shopping day. Usually she would be required to drive due to a heavy load, but today was different as Brock was out of town on business and without her husband she only needed food for one. Wanting to take advantage of this opportunity she had decided to take in the pretty scenery and do her errands on foot.

Cerulean had expanded since her childhood years, filling with more people and new businesses. The little town had long since become busy, but never too crowded for her tastes. It was fitting for her. She finally felt at home here, with its charming houses and friendly people. Now the only Waterflower still living there, she had made quite a good reputation of herself. She was a respectable gym leader, and a skilled water pokémon trainer. 

A few years ago her sisters had moved to different cities to pursue their dreams of making it big in performing, and while she missed them occasionally, she was glad she now had the gym to run as she pleased. As for her mother, she could care less where the old woman had ended up. She and her new "lover" hadn't even bothered to show up for the wedding. Misty regretted ever letting Brock convince her to send the invitation.

Brock, her husband of seven months, was now a worldwide famous breeder, having opened chains of his own centers in many different cities. He made a great living and was quite happy with his job, but Misty wished he didn't have to be away from home so often, as she missed him dearly when he was gone. He felt the same way, doing everything he could to keep in touch with her while on his business trips. In fact he had just called that morning, knowing she would already be awake. She supposed the habit of rising early she had gained from their journeys as kids had never quite rubbed off.

_Their journeys_. She grimaced at the painful throb in her chest it brought to reminisce. She usually refused to let herself think of the past, but it looked like she had stupidly let her thoughts wander. Walking faster, Misty struggled to distract herself with her surroundings. She just had to keep going and everything would be fine. 

Without thinking she let herself focus on the nearby trees. Big mistake. The wispy willows were part of the forest she dreaded seeing, and had been avoiding for years. Were part of the forest she had been in with _him_. She desperately tried to push the incoming thoughts away, but they rushed upon her like a raging river, swallowing her whole. Wave after unwanted wave of nostalgia swept over her, bringing more unwanted memories along with it. Misty finally wearily gave in as her mind drifted back towards that day.

It was a day she would never forget…

~*-*-*~

__

Begin Flashback

~*-*-*~

Ash Ketchum slept peacefully in his bed, dead to the world as usual. With each breath, his loud snores rose and fell in unison with his chest. He was contently lost in a world of dreams, and anyone who had ever tried would know that waking him up was almost impossible. He was just as stubborn asleep as he was when he was awake. In fact, Ash was such a deep sleeper that he didn't even stir when Misty charged through his bedroom door, nearly taking it right off the hinges. 

"Rise and shine!" Misty threw open his curtains, hoping the brightness of the morning would rouse him. Ash, however, only continued to snore even louder. She should have known it wouldn't be that easy. Misty blew out a breath of frustration and began to shake him, resisting the strong urge to jump on his head. When he didn't respond, she shook him harder, but even with his body snapping from one side to another, he still did not wake up. Misty sighed. It would have been so much easier if she could just use Pikachu to shock him awake, but the little electric rodent had long since headed over to the Professor's laboratory to help them get ready for the party.

"I swear Ash Ketchum," she began menacingly, dropping him back on his mattress with a less than gentle thump, "that if you do not wake up this instant, you will regret it!"

"Hmm?" Ash finally opened an eye sleepily, squinting in the sunlight that poured onto his face. "Oh, it's just you." With an easy yawn, he dismissed his red headed roommate and rolled to his other side, ignoring the scowl she threw in his direction.

"Well good morning to you too!" Undeterred, she flopped down onto his mattress, her mouth lifting into a smirk at seeing his exasperated expression.

"Go away."

Much to his annoyance, Misty did the opposite, yanking his blanket out from under him. "Unfortunately for you I am not leaving until I get your lazy ass out of bed." She jabbed his side with a finger, "So save me the trouble and get up and shower because I have things to do. You see, unlike you, I have a life that doesn't consist completely of Pokemon, food, sleep, and TV."

Still half asleep, Ash covered his head with a pillow, unable to think of a comeback. He moaned, "Since when are you so cheerful in the morning?"

"Never," she fought to wrench the pillow from his grasp, "But today is special remember?" At his blank look she clucked her tongue, succeeding in pulling away the pillow with one last hard tug. "How could you forget, Ash? Brock is finally coming home!"

Ash immediately perked up at that, no longer feeling all that tired. "Really?"

"Yes, really. And your mother needs us to run to the store and pick up a few final things for the party, remember?"

"I can't believe I forgot! I guess I've just lost complete track of time lately with training and battling and making appearances and everything."

Misty's face darkened at that. "Guess so." 

Ash was oblivious to this, as being observant was not exactly one of his strong points. "Is there anything else we need to do?"

She brightened up again; nagging Ash was always a fun thing to do. "Not anymore. You can thank me for cleaning up this pigsty of an apartment. It took me hours to clean everything! Oh and may I add that you are a complete slob. I mean you're already twenty-three years old and you still can't even pick up after yourself!"

"Gee. Which should I thank you for first, cleaning or insulting me?"

She grinned at his sarcastic tone. "Cleaning will do."

Ash stuck out his tongue, not about to let her win this match. Without warning, he whacked her with his remaining pillow, catching her off guard. Before she could react, Misty lost her balance, and tumbled to the floor with his blanket twisted around her legs. Ash cheerily got out of bed as she struggled to untangle herself. Daggers were shooting from her eyes as she glared up at him, her hair and clothes now disheveled. He paused at his door to look back at her, his voice full of laughter.

"Thank you, Misty. Oh, and while you're at it, could you clean my room too? Thanks again!"

With that, Ash smugly sauntered off to the washroom with Misty's enraged shrieks and death threats shaking the walls behind him.

~*-*-*~

Ash's head shot up the moment he heard the sound of wheels crunching gravel further up the road. Misty instantly knew what the excited look in his eyes meant; Brock was finally here. Sure enough, as she followed his gaze she could see Brock's old, rusty Chevy in the distance. Two loud honks blasted in the air, fulfilling the ritual they still carried out, even though they all traveled less often now. Ash and Misty exchanged ecstatic grins and turned to face the approaching vehicle.

The truck slowed down to a crawl as it neared the house, turning into the driveway. After a moment, the engine was turned off and the door swung open. Brock stepped out onto the pavement and happily surveyed the house and yard. Everything looked almost exactly as it had the day he had left. Even the flowers he had helped Misty plant near the front porch were still there, blooming proudly. No longer having to feel homesick, he turned and waved like a fool.

"Brock!" Delighted, the redhead ran from her spot on the lawn and into the waiting arms of the older man. He grinned and twirled her for a moment, her laughter floating throughout the yard as her feet were effortlessly lifted from the ground. When they stopped, she kissed him soundly on the lips and stepped back to examine him. "It's so good to see you again!"

"Likewise." He made a point of looking her up and down, pleased when she narrowed her eyes at him for it. "Why, Misty, I do think you get prettier each time I see you. So much better than the scrawny girl I remember from our journeys!"

She laughed and poked him hard in the ribs, pretending to look angry. "Quit while you're ahead, Brock. I'll only give you a warning this time because I'm feeling nice."

Ash made his way over to them, an amused look upon his face. "That would be a warning I advise you to follow. Last time I called her scrawny, she must not have been feeling very nice. I earned myself a black eye."

Brock turned, his face lighting into an even broader smile as he pulled his other best friend into a large bear hug. "Ash, buddy! It's been too long."

Ash grinned and slapped him on the back. "That it has. Welcome home, Brocko."

Home. A place he had thought about every second he was away. It felt so good to be back, to see his friends again. Each time Brock came back it made it even harder to leave again. And at the rate this was going, he didn't think he would ever leave again. 

"You weren't gone very long this time," Misty remarked, watching him closely.

He gave her an exaggerated pout. "And what's that supposed to mean? Didn't you miss me?"

"Are you kidding?" Ash cut in, still grinning. "We only missed your cooking!"

"Ash!" Misty hissed, "That's not true!" She faced Brock and couldn't help but smirk. "Don't worry. We missed your cooking **and** your desert making!"

"Yeah, love you too, guys." Brock lazily slung an arm around both of their shoulders, feeling worn out from his trip but very content. "Now let's go into the kitchen—which I'm sure hasn't been put to proper use since I left—and I'll remind you exactly just how much you did miss me." 

~*-*-*~

"Hurry up Misty, we're going to be late!"

"Hold on, Ash! Why do you always have to be so damn impatient?"

"If you didn't take so long all the time, I wouldn't have to be!"

"Well you can't just go somewhere without being fashionably late!"

Ash threw up his arms in exasperation, "Women!" Beside him, Brock chuckled merrily. Some things never changed.

Another ten minutes passed by; Misty had yet to come downstairs. Ash stopped pacing the floor and looked at his watch for the millionth time. "Come on! What are you even doing up there?"

"What do you think? I'm getting ready, you idiot. And I'm not coming down until I look absolutely gorgeous!"

He groaned loudly, "Brock, she's never going to come down!"

"I heard that!"

The boys exchanged amused glances.

At last, they heard the clicking of Misty's heels on the stairs. "Finally," Ash muttered to Brock, a smile in his voice. They both turned to watch her descend towards them, each step taken ever so deliberate and dramatic. She stopped when she got to the bottom and twirled in a small circle.

Ash smirked, "I'm so glad you decided to finally grace us with your presence."

She ignored him, "So, what do you think?"

"You look beautiful," answered Brock. "And, hey, it only took you three hours this time!"

Misty punched him cheerfully, "Thank you! And for the record it only took two hours and fifty-one minutes. Ash?"

Not quite comprehending why, he found he couldn't take his eyes off of her. Sure, she had grown from her tomboyish years to become fairly pretty, but now as she was dressed up with makeup and all, she was almost breathtaking. "You _are_ absolutely gorgeous, Misty." 

She beamed and kissed his cheek. "Thank you."

"Hey," protested Brock, "I give you a compliment and I get punched, but he gets kissed? How fair is that?!"

She laughed gaily and kissed Brock too.

"That's more like it!" he grinned. "And now I'll be right back, I just need to go to the washroom really quick, okay?"

They nodded their response in unison.

When Brock was gone, Misty turned to Ash, studying him with a smile. He looked rather handsome in his new suit, almost sexy. It surprised her. Over the years he had changed so much from the skinny, annoying, little kid he had been when she had first met him. Okay, well maybe he still was skinny and annoying, but at least it was to a lesser extent. He had grown up in his own ways, and was much more tolerable. He still had his moments when he acted like a ten-year-old again, but sometimes it was kind of cute—in a way that made her want to smack him. 

He interrupted her thoughts, "You wouldn't happen to be checking me out now would you, Misty, dear?

She flushed and shook her head in wonder. "I just can't believe how much you've changed."

"Changed how?"

Misty struggled to find the right words. "You… you just matured, I guess."

He raised an eyebrow. "Me? Mature? Well I never thought I'd see the day that happened."

"Me either…" She smiled softly, "When did you grow up on me, Ash Ketchum?

He smiled back, "Apparently the same time you did."

Her breath caught at the almost subtle change in his voice. She said nothing, studying him for a moment. Ash watched her carefully, his eyes hinting at something that his placid expression did not. 

Misty stepped towards him, uncertain. "Seems we've been pretty blind all these years."

He stepped towards her; it had only took him a few seconds to understand what she was talking about… about what had gone unspoken between them for too long. "Don't forget stubborn."

Another step. "Immature."

And another. "Afraid…"

Misty suddenly realized how close to each other they stood, their faces now nearly touching. Her heart raced, "A-Ash?"

"Yes?"

Before she could respond, a loud cough interrupted her, causing both their heads to shoot up towards the sound. Brock had re-entered the room and now stood there, leaning against the wall, an unreadable expression on his face as he watched them. Embarrassed, they backed off from each other, trying to look casual, despite Misty's red face and Ash's disappointed one.

Clearing her throat, Misty smiled brightly and pushed away her own disappointment. "Took you long enough!"

"Looks like it's a good thing I didn't take any longer," Brock muttered softly, his eyes on hers. Neither Ash nor Misty heard him clearly enough to catch the meaning of his words, falling into awkward silence again. Ash didn't notice this, his own eyes also on Misty. Brock was grateful.

Needing a distraction, Misty turned away from Brock's intense gaze and Ash's questioning look. She happened to catch a glance of the clock hanging above them on the wall. Seeing the time, she gasped. "Oh, the party! Come on! Hurry up you two, you're going to make us late!"

Ash, who was also trying to act as if nothing had happened, decided it would be useless to remind her that it had been her that had kept them waiting for over an hour. Instead he only rolled his eyes. "Yes, your highness."

"Oh shut up and get a move on it."

She grabbed her jacket and lead the way out of their house. For once Ash didn't comment on her acting as if she was the boss of them and followed her without complaint. Brock silently brought up the rear, lost in his own thoughts. Misty sighed at the lack of excitement displayed in their faces. Tonight was supposed to be a happy night to celebrate Brock's return. Deciding that the current tension between them was foolish, she linked arms with Ash on one side and Brock on the other. They had to try and forget about whatever it was that had just occurred and go have fun. 

"Well, what are we waiting for? Let's go party!"

Both boys couldn't help but inwardly smile at Misty's attempt to lighten the unexplainable dark mood that had fallen between them. She looked at them hopefully. In response they both gave a grin that was only a little forced, allowing her to pull them back into higher spirits.

Satisfied, Misty moved forward, nearly knocking them off balance in the process. She happily pulled them in the direction of the lab, ignoring Ash's protests about her taking charge.

They were all going to have a good time. She would make sure of it.

~*-*-*~

"So how have you been? Fill me in on everything I've missed since I've been away."

"Nothing interesting has happened. I've just been tending to the gym and Ash has been wishing he could enter that tournament in Johto. Same old boring story." Misty grinned as he gave her a twirl and then brought her back towards him. "Tell me about what you've been up to instead."

"Well there was a small problem with one of my branches in Saffron, but I took care of it. Otherwise everything is moving quite smoothly. Soon my chain of breeding centers will be open to everyone, everywhere." His face glowed. "My dream come true."

"That's wonderful, Brock. I'm so proud of you. We all are."

He dipped her. "I wouldn't have been able to do it without your support. You and Ash have been so great, always encouraging me."

"Oh it was nothing. We knew you could do it, you just needed a little push. I mean what are friends for?"

"That's something I kind of want to talk to you about."

Something in his voice had her examining his face closely. She couldn't quite put her finger on it, but it was almost if…

"Can I cut in?"

Brock dropped his gaze and turned to their friend with slight displeasure that quickly changed to a grin. "Of course you can dance with me, Ash," he batted his eyelashes with a high-pitched coo. "I've been waiting for you to ask all night!"

His younger companions laughed, Ash patting him on the shoulder. "Well while you are very pretty, I think I'm going to have to make do with this young woman instead."

Misty put her hand on her hips. "Make do, will you? Is that a challenge?"

"You up for one?"

"Always if you are." She accepted his outstretched hand and with a little wave at Brock, allowed him to lead her further into the dance floor. Brock watched them sadly as they were swept into the music, laughing. Even though he was very close to both of them, he still couldn't help but envy their bond. Maybe it was just his imagination, but they had this chemistry between them that he had always feared would turn into more. Sure they fought constantly, but that was part of what held them together, part of the charm. 

Why did Ash always have to be one step ahead? With a sigh Brock turned and made his way through the swaying bodies to find Tracey.

"Isn't it great to have Brock home again?" Ash grinned happily, not having noticed anything wrong with his friend.

Misty agreed with a thoughtful smile, keeping her feet in time with the music. "I wish he didn't have to travel so much. I mean even you have been travelling less than him."

"Speaking of travelling, I've decided I'm going to go to the tournament."

Her mood dropped. "What? But Brock just got here, and we had plans!"

"I know, I know. But this tournament is important! Plus it's not like there's anything special. I'll see you guys when I get back."

"You don't even remember, do you?"

"Remember what?"

She glared at him, hurt. "Sunday is the anniversary of my father's death."

"So? Brock can go with you."

"That's not the point, you jerk."

"Well don't get mad! It's no big deal."

"How can you say that?" She stopped dancing and pulled away from him, her voice cold. "You know it's funny how even with such a big heart, there is never any room in it for me." 

"Now what are you talking about?"

Misty made an impatient noise, as if he should already know. "You don't care for me, especially no where near as much as I used to care about you! And don't try and pretend you do Ash. I'm tired of excuses."

Used to? He winced inwardly at that, but tried not to let it show. "If that's what you believe, then maybe you don't know me as well as I thought you did."

She whirled around to face him again. Anger glistened in her vivid blue eyes that were now more intense than he had ever seen them before. "No, I think it's the other way around. You don't know me as well as I thought you did! I cared for you even after I tried so hard not to, only to have you too involved with your pokemon and becoming a master to even notice anything else around you. You just showed now that you would rather go off and battle than be here for something that is very important to me!" She stopped for a moment and took a breath to steady herself.

Ash stood there, his temper rising, unsure of what to say. He had had no idea that she thought that about him. It was true that other people had told him similar things. Over the years there had been many jokes and teasing about him being obsessed with pokémon, and he had always just shrugged it off with a laugh. But as he heard it now, coming from one of the people he loved the most, it hurt more than he would have ever guessed it could. He felt compelled to provoke her, not only wanting to hear all of the truth about what she thought of him, but needing to. 

It was his nature to strike back without thinking.

When he didn't respond she threw up her hands in frustration. "Ugh! I was so blind!"

He gave a half-hearted sneer, knowing that what he was probably a bastard for what he was about to say. "Or maybe you just weren't worth noticing."

A childhood of rejection sprang back to her. She recoiled, as if slapped. How dare he attack her defenses like that when he knew the story of her past? After her father died, the only person of her family who had truly loved her, there was no one to stop her mother from constantly berating and beating her because she wasn't more like her beautiful, talented sisters. No one to stop her mother of telling her how she would never amount to anything, of how she was not only a disappointment, but a mistake as well. And in spite of how strong Misty had tried to grow up to be, Ash's words still struck and exposed a weak spot, making her feel like the helpless child again. The runt that no one had wanted.

She would prove she was more.

"Well you know what? You weren't worth anything either! You're still just a stupid obnoxious little boy with goals he'll never reach. I'm really lucky Brock came in when he did, or I might have done something as stupid as kiss you. I can do much better! Why I even stick around is beyond me. And I realize now I should have never let myself have feelings for anyone anyway, especially someone as immature and incapable of returning them as you!"

An expression she didn't recognize flickered onto his face as she said those words. Ash's voice grew quieter, but not quiet enough to erase the hint of sadness lacing his words. "You've never asked me how I felt about you, Misty." He paused, looking at her in a way that made her knees momentarily feel weak. "If you had asked you might have been surprised."

With that he turned and walked away. Absolutely speechless, Misty could only stand there stupidly and watch him until he disappeared from her sight.

~*-*-*~

Brock took a sip of his drink, pausing to examine his two friends that sat gloomily on either side of him. Ash had seemed fine, chatting to him about his latest achievements and battles until Misty had walked into the room. Instantly Ash had grown strangely quiet, and her face had fallen, as if her hopes had just been dashed. Brock could still feel the tension hanging between them. Neither had said a single word to each other, nor had they so much as even met each other's eyes. He couldn't put his finger on the exact time it had started, but he was sure something had happened at the party. There was definitely something going on, and Brock had a feeling that it wasn't just one of their usual little quarrels.

There was also the matter of what had happened before the party, or should he say what would have happened if he hadn't walked in when he had. But Brock's heart gave a dull pang at the reminder of Ash and Misty almost kissing, so he quickly pushed away any thoughts that were heading in the direction.

"So… really nice weather we're having, don't you agree?"

His attempt at starting a conversation failed once again, his only response being a strange look from Ash, as it was currently storming outside. Brock sighed inwardly, a growing sense of worry nibbling at his mind. He had tried everything he could think of to get a word, a laugh or even any kind of sound out of them, but so far nothing had worked. He was troubled over what could have possibly happened to make them sit there… Ash looking so hurt, Misty looking so lost.

Brock cleared his throat; it was time to bring out the heavy artillery. "Okay, it's now or never… Guys, I have something really important to tell you that I've wanted to say before but have never found the courage…" 

Both Ash and Misty gave no signs to acknowledge that they were listening. Brock continued anyway, trying to sound and look as serious as possible. "You see, the truth is… the truth is I'm gay, and I think I am falling in love with Gary."

They distractedly gave identical grunts, no reaction appearing on either of their faces. Brock fell over in disbelief and frustration, his hand wringing in the air. After a moment, he pulled himself up and smacked the table loudly with one fist to get their attention. Startled, they looked up from their almost untouched dinners.

"Okay, I've had enough, this is driving me crazy! Will one of you please tell me what is going on?"

"There is nothing going on." Ash's voice was brisk, and though he still refused to look at her, it was clear his words were directed at Misty, "At least not anymore, that is."

A wounded expression crossed her face. Misty angrily sprung up from her chair, not caring that she knocked it over in the process. Looking as if she wanted to say something but stopped herself from doing so, she ran from the room, slamming the door behind her. 

Brock listened to her footsteps as they pounded up the stairs, most likely heading for her room. He wanted to go after her, but figured it would not be a good idea at this point. He turned to Ash, who sat there, in regretful silence, once again lost in thought. However, before Brock could speak, Ash cut him off.

"I don't want to talk about it."

"But--"

"Sorry, Brocko. I'll see you later." Ash got up from the table, stopping for a moment to pick up Misty's chair. He then quickly grabbed a belt of pokéballs, and without another word, left the house, and disappeared into the woods.

Brock slumped dejectedly in his seat; some welcome home this was turning out to be. 

~*-*-*~

Misty ran blindly through the woods, straining to see through the pouring rain. It came down in sheets from what felt like all directions, plastering her hair and clothes to her body. From somewhere behind her in the horizon a low roar of thunder filled the air, a warning of the vicious storm to come. She cursed under her breath. If only she had received the warning earlier, then maybe she would have thought to grab something to attempt to shield herself. Instead she had foolishly left the warmth of the house with nothing but that clothes she had been wearing.

Why did she always go running after him? He was impossible to reason with once he had his mind set on something. She was wasting breath on deaf ears; he'd never change. Yet time after time again, Misty continued to do so anyway.

Maybe she should just turn back and go home. Ash would surely come to his senses eventually. Not even with his thick skull would he be stupid enough to stay in the forest on a night like this. He was supposed to be a grown man. He didn't need a babysitter. Besides, who was to say she would even find him in this weather? On second thought, it was probably more likely that he would be too stubborn to come to his senses on his own. After all, he had been pretty mad, and when he was angry he tended to be even more irrational than usual. Add to that a tendency to somehow put his life in danger everywhere he went and you didn't get the most comforting image.

No, she had to keep looking. Perhaps she too was being fatuous, but Misty would not go back home until Ash did too. At this point it didn't even matter if he was upset with her. She just needed to know he would be safe. Ash was everything to her. 

A long stream of obscenities burst from her mouth as she found herself flying through the air and landing not so gracefully in a large puddle. When she regained her senses she whirled around to seek out the culprit. The upturned root she had tripped over seemed to laugh back at her in triumph. 

With a vicious snarl she pulled herself back to her feet. Great, now not only was she soaked, but dirty too. She kicked the root in revenge, resulting in another rush of swears as she injured her foot. "Today just keeps getting better and better!" She seethed, screaming at the dark, gray sky in an attempt to feel better. Another roar of thunder was its only response as it began to rain even harder. Now even the sky was taunting her. Misty gave a frustrated howl and began to stomp around like a madwoman; screaming alone just wouldn't give her the same satisfaction.

"My how dainty and lady-like you are, just like always."

She stopped in surprise and embarrassment at the dry, mocking voice, forgetting about the throbbing pain in her toe. Even with the sarcasm and unusual harshness it was easy to recognize whom the voice belonged to. Her heart turned over in her stomach, relief filling her as she turned to face him. "Ash."

He sighed, his amusement from watching her little hissy-fit washing away. "If you're not planning to leave anytime soon then you might as well follow me. I found a little spot where we can at least be dry."

The little spot turned out to be a cranny in-between some fallen rocks that provided a sufficient space for shelter from the unrelenting rain. It seemed safe enough, without a word she followed him inside.

Ash regarded her for a moment, his annoyance at her coming after him evident. "Why were you out here in the rain anyway?"

"Isn't it obvious? So I could find you, dimwit!" She flinched at her words, wanting to kick herself.

He scowled. "Just go back to the house. I don't need this right now."

"And what is that supposed to mean?"

"Does it really matter? You'll just twist around what I say to suit your own purposes anyway."

Her tone dropped icily. "I guess this proves to me I really was wasting my time trying to apologize and make things right. You'd rather be a stubborn jerk."

"Yes that's right. Oh but don't forget obnoxious and immature, with goals I'll never reach. Just a stupid boy, remember? You could do much better."

Her expression softened a bit, feeling guilty. "Look... I'm sorry for everything I said. I didn't mean it."

"I don't want your apologies. We both know you did mean it, no use pretending you didn't. Probably a good thing that it's finally out in the open anyway. Otherwise I might have done something as stupid as kiss you back."

"You're not exactly the innocent victim here, Ash Ketchum! You said a lot of things that hurt me too." Her voice broke as she continued, and she hated herself for giving into her weakness. "You knew how much it would hurt me to attack my past like that. You knew about my emotional scars from my abuse! You knew!"

He lowered his head at that. She was right. He had known, but he had gone ahead and said something anyway. It had been low of him. Very low.

"Not so smug now, are we?" Misty brought herself to her full height so their faces were level. "And for your information, I **can** do much better. As in someone that actually meets my standards."

"Now I get it." His voice rose in anger. "You have this unrealistic view of what I should be, how I should act to meet your "standards". Is that why you always reprimand me and push me to my limits? Because nothing I do is ever good enough for you and your idea of this perfect guy? Well you can't just mold a person to be what you expect them to be. I am who I am, and you either love me for me, all my faults accepted or you don't. And if you don't, well then I don't think there's a point to continuing this friendship, let alone something more."

Misty wasn't sure whether she was more surprised of the words themselves or the fact that Ash had spoken them. Of all the years she had known him, Ash had never said something so intelligent or deep. Nor had he used such a big word as 'reprimand' in the right context and understood the meaning at the same time.

"I didn't know you felt that way…"

"Yeah, well, there's a lot of things you don't know. Never stopped you before."

Her eyes narrowed again. "I've only ever been looking out for your best interests all these years."

He nearly snorted. "My best interests? Are we talking about someone else here? Because the Misty Waterflower I know never does anything that doesn't benefit herself!"

"Is that really what you believe?" 

"Sometimes."

It saddened her to hear that. "Well then, did you ever think that maybe seeing you succeed and be happy did benefit me?"

Ash stopped short of what he had been about to say. "What?"

"Sure, at first I did join you on your journey because I was looking for my own adventure and had no where else to go once I ran away. And sure I was hoping to make something of myself, but don't even think for one second that I stayed with you for the purposes of using you. Why would I still be here after all these years? I stayed because you're my best friend, you and Brock are like the family I never really had, and I've never cared about anyone as much as I care for you, Ash."

Flabbergasted he gawked at her as if seeing her for the first time. "Jeez Mist,' I… you know I care about you too," he finished simply.

"Do you even understand what I mean when I say I care about you? I want more than our friendship. I want you." She stepped closer, seeking a long waited answer. "So I'm finally asking you now. You said I might be surprised, so come on and surprise me. How do you feel about me? Just tell me the truth."

It was now or never. "There's never been anyone else. Only you. Always you."

Before she could lose her nerve, Misty ran and threw herself around him. Her lips found his intimately for the first time in all the thirteen years of their friendship and after closing her eyes, kissed him like no other. He kissed her back, making up for his lack of practice with his unanticipated skill.

Indescribable waves of emotion flooded through both of them. Head spinning, Misty ran her hands down his lean body, nipping at his soft lips slowly, teasingly. He responded, running his own fingers through her hair that now hung in wild waves as it naturally did when wet.

Ash gently broke the kiss. She stopped tugging his shirt upward, lifting her gaze to his face. "What's wrong?"

He caressed her cheek. "You're absolutely sure this is what you want? I mean after all, you can do better."

"I've already apologized for that. You know I don't mean a lot of things I say when I'm angry. Plus you've seen the scum I've dated before," she joked, laughing lightly. 

"I'm serious."

"And so am I when I say I mean this." She kissed him again. "I am sure."

He couldn't help but grin, his chestnut eyes dancing. "Well then, I guess I should be a Good Samaritan and help you out of those wet clothes."

"My hero."

~*-*-*~

Outside of their haven the rain continued to fall, now reduced to faint drizzle. Misty serenely listened to the sound of birds singing in the distance. She had found paradise.

Beside her Ash stirred, murmuring her name. She turned in his arms to face him. He looked so rumpled and cute lying there, nothing covering him but dirt. She giggled and placed a kiss on the tip of his nose.

He snuggled her closer. "You're so beautiful, Misty. I don't understand how I didn't see it before."

"Maybe because you were blinded with your stupidity?"

"So it was the blind leading the blind, then? No wonder we didn't find each other until now." He smiled. "And I've never been happier to open my eyes."

She gazed at him, idly tracing an imaginary circle on his bare chest with a slender, pointed finger. "Promise me your heart?"

He gently cupped her face in his hands. "Forever."

She smiled dreamily, a contented sigh escaping her lips. Ever since her dad had died she had vowed to never love anyone or be loved by anyone again. She had been so afraid of losing the people close to her that she had lashed out at everyone to push them away. But now as she lay in the arms of the person who had taught her to love again, she knew that she didn't have to ever worry about losing him.

Ash Ketchum never broke a promise. 

__

~*-*-*~

End Flashback

~*-*-*~

But he had broken a promise, and broken her heart as well.

Misty blinked back the stinging tears that always followed after the memories. She had woken up that morning, naïvely full of love, happiness, and hope for the future. Had opened her eyes and expected to see her best friend, and now something so much more, curled up beside her as he had been before she fell asleep. Instead she had rolled over to be greeted by the cold, empty air.

Ash was gone.

She had panicked, frantically trying to make excuses for him. He must have headed back to the house so Brock wouldn't be worried, or had taken a walk, or something. She didn't want to believe, couldn't believe the conclusion her mind had immediately jumped to. But it had turned out to be the truth.

Ash had left her to go to that damn tournament. Had chosen his career over her.

He hadn't even had the decency to give an explanation or write a bloody note. He had just left, left her there alone in the forest, stripped from her clothes and her dignity. Left her and never came back.

A few weeks later she had caught a news report about the young trainer wining the final battle, seen pictures of the fight where he had unsurprisingly used Pikachu. There had been a short interview after, in which one of the reporters had asked him if it was hard to travel so much, being away from his friends and family. Ash's response had been that everything he wanted he had with him there: his pokemon and his fans. She had thrown the remote at the television in fury, wishing him to hell.

Misty had never explained what had happened to Brock, only accepted the comfort he had kindly held forth without any questions. The older man had been baffled and hurt deeply, never understanding why Ash had left and then never called, wrote, or contacted them in any way. Hurt even more every time Ash didn't answer any of his letters or ignored his phone calls. Their best friend had cut off any tie with both of them, avoiding them by travelling around the world as he pleased, throwing himself into every competition and tournament he could find. He made it clear he no longer wanted to see them.

Finally, after two years, Brock had done just as Misty had long before; he gave up.

And during those two years he had offered Misty not only the strong friendship they had always had, but offered her a gentle and tender love. A love he had held for her for years. He never once tried to force her to feel the same way, only patiently waited instead. Gave without demanding to receive. 

And eventually Misty had pushed away thoughts of Ash and grown to love Brock as well. A year later he had proposed to her. She accepted. 

Everything was wonderful and Ash was out of her life for good. Was not welcome to ever come back in it.

Or so she tried to convince herself.

Misty gave a heavy sigh and continued walking, trying to re-focus her mind. There was no point wasting her thoughts on the past, it only brought her more unnecessary pain anyway. And hadn't she experienced that pain enough already? It wasn't doing any good to think of what might have been. She was happy now, with a wonderful and loving husband who always put her above everything else. Misty was never second best with Brock. 

She twirled her wedding ring around her finger, her husband's handsome face appearing in her mind. He was everything she had wanted in a man and she felt so lucky to have him. Felt so lucky that he had still chosen her and stayed by her even when she hadn't returned his feelings at first.

As her thoughts drifted to their wedding, a smile lit her face. It had been perfect. The beautiful ceremony had taken place only seven months ago, in the lush gardens of Cerulean. Being somewhat famous people themselves, there had been quite a turn out, causing them to extend their already large guest list. Brock had wanted a small wedding, but she had convinced him they should go all out instead, give the papers something to talk about. And so they had. It had been one of the most talked about weddings in years. 

And somewhere inside of her she had secretly hoped that Ash had read about it and been devastated.

~*-*-*~

Misty walked out of the store, many bags in hand, feeling quite pleased with herself. It had been a madhouse in there just like it usually was once the sales hit. There had been quite a commotion, but she felt pretty sure that she had once again shown that she had come out on top over everyone else. There had been a few women who had tried their luck in wrestling certain items away from her. The nerve of them! Hadn't they seen that she had noticed the clothing way before their greedy hands had so much as grazed the material? But it had been no problem for her skillful technique and she had been the victor, as always. No one messed with the fiery redhead when her mind was set on something. Especially if she got angry.

Well what could she say? When you got it, you got it.

Humming a familiar tune she strutted down the sidewalk, bags swinging proudly. It was a warm spring morning, the sun shining brightly. Spring had always been her favorite season of the year. It wasn't too hot, not too cold; it suited her just fine. She loved seeing the start of new beginnings as the first flowers bloom and the ice melted from the lakes. Loved seeing the animals return, hearing the birds start singing again, and smelling the dew after a gentle rain-shower. 

Pretty things had always caught her eye, and springtime was full of them.

Misty gave her watch an impatient glance. It was already nearing ten a.m. and she still had a few more stops to make. Quickening her pace she headed towards the corner of Main, waving cheerfully to some people she knew. There currently wasn't much traffic rushing down the pavement; the morning work rush was by now almost over. Perfect timing.

Waiting until the roads were clear, she began to cross the street, still humming lightly. She wasn't going to let her earlier thoughts and memories bother her. Nothing could ruin her good mood today. Nothing at all.

"Misty?"

Hearing someone call her name she looked ahead to the other side of the street where an attractive, dark-haired man stood. She squinted, trying to make out who he was. He certainly seemed familiar, but she was sure he wasn't from around here, otherwise she would have seen him walking around the town before. Puzzled she tried to think of how else he would know her. Deciding he was probably just some tourist who knew her from magazines and such that she had been featured on, she ignored the strange tingling in her stomach. He was no one important.

But then why did she feel as if she knew him from somewhere?

As she got closer he smiled at her, a slow and hesitant but friendly smile. The realization came, instantly clicking in her mind. She froze in pure shock as her eyes widened in recognition, and nearly dropped her newly bought merchandise. It couldn't be, it just couldn't. It had to be someone else. She studied him carefully, trying to tell herself it was a mistake, but her heart plummeted through her chest; she knew her instincts were right.

For try as she might, she would never be able to forget his smile.

The man standing in front of her was Ash.

~*-*-*~

End Chapter One.

~*-*-*~

__

Disclaimer: The only thing I own is the idea for this fanfic. The lyrics used in the beginning are from "Fairy Tale" by Toni Braxton.

__

Author's Notes: Yes, I know Ash seems like a huge jerk in this, but keep in mind this chapter was more in Misty's point of view and thus biased. Also, as she has yet to hear his reasons, we don't know them either. 

You've probably noticed that this chapter was more based around Misty and Ash so if you were hoping to have Brock play a bigger role or want more BAMR you will find it further on into the story. But don't worry AAM fans, there's plenty more of that coming as well.

~*-*-*~


	2. And love me like you should

And So We Meet Again…

Chapter Two: And love me like you should

***

__

I should have been onto you

But I was afraid

__

That you'd break my heart in two

__

Fate would have it that you broke it anyway baby

__

And every time I close my eyes 

I just remind myself 

You told about a million lies

***_  
_

What the hell are you doing here?" 

It wasn't exactly the warm welcome he had been hoping for, but better than what he had been expecting. Better than what he deserved.

"It's good to see you again too, Mist'."

She trembled, wanting to punch that arrogant look off his face. How could he stand there looking so nonchalant, as if nothing had happened between them? How could he just show up casually like this when her heart was racing to the point where she thought it would burst from her chest any second? 

Seeing Ash Ketchum again was the last thing she had ever expected or wanted to do for the rest of her life. She just couldn't face him now after all these years. She wasn't prepared to deal with the waves of emotion that were currently rippling through her body, tearing her like a tidal wave inside. Wasn't prepared to feel the agonizing sense of warmth that tingled all the way to her fingertips at merely seeing his face, a feeling she had thought she had managed to destroy the day she had woken alone in the forest. 

He hadn't changed very much in appearance. Her once lifelong soul mate was still as tall, dark, and boyishly handsome as ever. With another scan she decided Ash had been nearly untouched by the years that had past, except for a slightly haunted look she thought she could detect in his eyes. And as she stood there now, with those almost unnerving eyes fixed on her, she once again felt almost frozen to the spot. Misty was unsure which she wanted to do more at this moment: kill him or kiss him. Both options were equally tempting.

Ash shifted uncomfortably, unnerved by her silence and unreadable expression. Cautiously, he took a small step forward, almost afraid she would run away if he moved too suddenly. She had always been like a fierce tigress, ready to pounce at any given moment, but as he looked at her now he was reminded of a timid doe that was aware of her pursuer and was ready to take off as soon as she felt the slightest threat. He had to be careful not to scare her off.

The famous trainer had no idea how to tell her what he felt. He had never been very good with words when it came to these kinds of things, and didn't want to say something wrong. He couldn't deny that he usually always ended up making situations like this worse when he tried to make them better. This he knew from countless arguments with Misty in the past. And as he looked at her now he could see the shock of seeing him was beginning to fade into anger. Once she regained her senses he knew she would be ready to attack. Even if he managed to steer away from saying something to upset her, she would gladly start their inevitable fight anyway. 

Either way it looked like he might as well risk saying something stupid.

"I know you're probably not very happy to see me right now," Ash began slowly.

She stared at him.

He sighed and continued. "And I know you aren't going to just welcome me with open arms and let all be forgiven, but can't we at least talk?" 

She continued to stare at him.

"You owe that to me at least," he added, not realizing the mistake he had just made.

With a snarl she sauntered towards him, ignoring the angry shouts of passing drivers, and stopped a few feet away from him. The slap he had received when they first met was nothing compared to the one she delivered now, striking him across the face. 

"Well," Ash sucked in a painful breath, "that was –"

"That was well deserved, you jerk!" Her eyes blazed with fire, a warning he remembered all too well. "And I owe you _nothing_, Ash Ketchum."

He gently touched his swelling left cheek and tried not to grimace. Not wanting to be hit again and feeling nervous under her glare and harshly punctuated words, he cast a searching look across her face, hoping to reason with the softer side of her. "Please, Misty. We need to talk."

She turned away, having already decided that killing him was definitely much more appealing. "Why? I have nothing to say to you," she answered coldly.

He had expected as much. "Well I'm not leaving until we do."

A short and bitter laugh emitted from Misty's lips which were now quivering slightly as they often did when she became upset. "Isn't that funny? Last time you left at the first chance you got, but now when I want nothing more than for you to leave, you refuse to."

Ash failed to find a way to respond to that. He looked down at his feet in shameful regret. "I had no choice, I had to leave."

"Bullshit. Don't even try and give me that. The least you could do is tell me the truth!"

He felt his irritation rise to match hers. "You really want the truth?"

She met his gaze, a twinge of pride and anger shining brightly in her eyes. "Yes. I deserve to know."

His throat caught. She had always looked more beautiful to him when she was animated, whether it was in fury or glee. Ash's voice grew softer, a whispered sigh escaping his mouth. "You deserve more than just the truth, Misty. Much more."

Misty was taken aback at this, but did her best not to let it show. With a short, flustered breath, she quickly regained her composure. Forcing the steely look to return to her eyes, her expression hardened again. She would not let him win her over with words.

"You're right, I do. Which is why I'm going to keep walking. I deserve more than your pitiful lies and excuses!"

He scowled. "I didn't come to give you lies or excuses!"

"Why did you come then, Ash? Oh please do enlighten me."

"I came because… I came because I wanted to see you!" he finished, unable to hide his exasperation.

"Well now that you've seen me, do us both a favor and go back to where ever the hell you came from!"

Without waiting for his reply, Misty turned away and blindly walked in the other direction. It didn't matter to her where she went, as long as it was no where near him. The more distance she put between them, the safer it would be. She could only pray that he wasn't following her. 

After a few more frenzied steps, she risked taking a glance back. Relief swept through her; he still stood there in the same place she had left him. Her panic soon returned, however, when she saw the determined look on his face. It seemed that her brush-off had only made him more set on talking to her. 

Misty cursed herself. She should have known better.

Ash wasn't about to give up any time soon. He never did.

~*-*-*~

Shadows flickered and danced across her face as outside her window the sun continued its never-ending game of hide and seek with the clouds. Misty closed her eyes, relaxing the lines of anxiety that creased her forehead. She was completely drained of all energy, both physically and mentally. That short, unexpected encounter with Ash hours ago had left her feeling rather distraught and just a little dazed.

She laughed at that, a harsh, hollow sound that stung her ears. How could one stupid man have such an affect on her? 

But she knew the answer. He had been her first. Her first friend, her first crush, her first love, and her first time. Almost her first everything. And no matter how foolish the notion, a girl always kept such firsts close to her heart. They were something to hold onto from their childhood, of a time when they were young and innocent and full of dreams, unaware of the occasionally harsh truth of the world. Misty had such little else she wanted to remember from her childhood, but now even thinking of all those firsts, the ones that were supposed to be special, brought her pain as well. She loathed him for robbing her of her only chance to have happy memories. Loathed him for stripping her of girlish dreams and bringing her permanently back to reality.

From the bedside table her phone began to ring, startling her out of her depressing introspection. After it rang a second time she hesitantly moved away from the window to answer it. 

"Hello?"

"Misty?"

"Yes, this is Misty Waters speaking," she replied, her automatic answer due to running the Cerulean Gym for years. "May I ask who is calling?" 

"You of all people should know that you can't get away from me that easily."

Her question had gone unacknowledged, however the answer was now quite obvious. Her pulse instantly began to race, her eyes widening in distress at his voice. "I don't want to talk to you, Ash. I thought I made that clear."

"You haven't even given me a chance to explain," he protested softly.

She heated up, lips pressing in a thin line. "Well I'm sure you'll have a good story. I mean after all, you've had three years to make it up."

"You don't understand."

"What more is there to understand? Your career was more important to you, and Brock and I weren't of any use to anymore so you left. Left me, without even a goodbye. I was stupid to ever think you could actually feel the same way I did. Simple as that."

"That is not true! Misty you know me. It wasn't like that!"

"That right there is a lie too. I don't know you."

"What do you mean? Of course you know me."

"No, I _knew_ you. You were my best friend, a person I had soon come to greatly respect and admire. After awhile, against my wishes, I came to love you with as much of my heart as possible, but was too afraid to lose our friendship, too afraid to get hurt. Then one day I stupidly thought that I didn't need to be afraid of either of those things because you were such a wonderful person. You were so kind, loyal, and trustworthy."

"Misty – "

"No! Let me finish! You see I even remember telling myself that even if things didn't work out, I wouldn't have regrets, only be happy that we had it for at least a little while. So I gave my foolish heart to you, thinking I had yours in return, only to find out that yours already belonged to pokémon and you didn't even want or need mine. You might as well as thrown it out a window for all the pain you caused it!"

"Misty…" his broken voice tore at her, but she ignored it. "I'm so sorry…"

"Save your apologies. I don't want them either," she said curtly, trying to keep any other emotion from her own voice.

"If you just let me explain," he begged. "If you got to know me again you'd see I'm still the same person."

"I don't want to know you at all, just leave me alone! And," she added, clenching tightly onto the receiver, "I am so much happier with Brock." 

He flinched and wondered if she could hear it through the phone. "People make mistakes…"

"And I made my biggest one that night."

His end was silent.

Misty couldn't take it any longer. "I'm hanging up now, don't –"

He cut her off, urgency in his voice. "Meet me."

"What?"

"I need to see you at least one more time. I can't leave… no I _refuse_ to leave until I do."

"Don't be ridiculous."

"Meet me, Misty. You know when and where."

An involuntary shudder traveled down her spine, leaving her body tingling with a long lost feeling of years ago. Of course she knew when and where, it had been so hard to forget. She was angered at the nerve of him to suggest it. If had been trying to make sure the memories of that night were now fresh in her mind, he had succeeded.

"No. I can't."

He was undeterred. "Afraid?"

She, like him, could never resist a challenge. "Afraid of you?" She scoffed. "Hardly!"

"Prove it."

A click sounded in her ear.

Damn he had gotten smarter over the years.

And damn how she wanted him. 

Misty's brain didn't fully absorb her last thought until a few moments later. When it finally did, the realization came to her with a jolt. She still wanted him. It made her unsteady to think of it. But it wasn't until her next thoughts that she was shaken so badly she could no longer stand up. In spite of how much she tried to deny it, at hearing his voice her heart had secretly leaped in joy, and now that he had broken the connection, her body was crying out desperately with the need to be with him, to see him again. 

Damn the cruel irony, it couldn't even be as simple as her just wanting him.

For despite how hard she had tried to convince herself that she wasn't, _she was still in love with him_.

At that her throat seemed to tighten, impairing her breathing. She could feel a sharp ache begin pounding against her temple like waves crashing against a shore. Just her luck: another migraine was coming. Misty struggled to concentrate. It couldn't be true. She couldn't still love him. This was too much for her to deal with at one time, she needed to sit down and get a hold of her emotions before she did something stupid. She was acting like a weak and lovesick little girl.

Collapsing in despair on the mattress, Misty gazed unseeingly at her ceiling. Beside her the discarded phone rang again, the shrill sound seeming to pierce her skull. It was probably Brock with the usual call to check up on her and tell her he loved her. A large, unsettling ball of guilt was hastily added to the turmoil of feelings in the pit of her stomach. She couldn't bring herself to answer it. Couldn't even look at it.

Brock was a good man who loved her dearly and treated her well. Her close friend for years, someone she could always depend on. It didn't matter that their sex life wasn't as passionate as the one time her and Ash had been together. That wasn't important. What was important was that she loved him and had been happy with him for these years they had been together. Brock had given her everything Ash couldn't. Would do anything for her.

So how could she lie there on the bed they shared with her thoughts and heart focused on another man? A man that had once been a best friend to both of them.

She couldn't meet Ash. No matter what he had in mind, it was too dangerous. She wasn't sure if she would be able to control herself, or if he would even try to. Brock was her husband and she had pledged ever-lasting love and fidelity to him. She wasn't one to break vows lightly. No, she would not see Ash. The faster he was back out of her life, the better. He was nothing to her anymore. Nothing but a lying jerk who had just thrown her away like an unwanted pokemon when he decided that he didn't have room for her in his main line-up anymore. She didn't want to see him, didn't need to.

"Oh hell," Misty sighed, grudgingly putting on her jacket. "Who am I kidding?"

Ash Ketchum–the infuriating bastard–would always hold a place in the very core of her, whether she wanted him to or not.

~*-*-*~

_She gazed into his eyes, idly tracing an imaginary circle on his bare chest with a slender, pointed finger. "Promise me your heart?"_

He gently cupped her face in his hands. "Forever."

What a fool she had been to believe him. Misty roughly shook away the memory and continued her slow trudge through the thick wisps of green. Since the day Ash had left she had avoided even stepping near this forest, let alone coming to the particular spot they had been together. It brought back too many unwanted feelings and painful memories of heartbreak. Feelings and memories she was currently having trouble ignoring.

What was she doing? All she had to do was turn around and go back to the safety of her house, but instead she was walking right into what would most likely be a danger zone. Typical.

"Misty." She spun around at hearing his voice speak her name for what seemed like the millionth time that day.

Ash stood waiting, leaning slightly on the trunk of a large tree. He smiled cautiously. "I didn't think you would come."

Her smile was faint, almost strained, but still a smile nonetheless. "Liar."

"See. You do still know me well."

"As do you, apparently. How clever of you to dare me."

His smile disappeared, replaced by a look that made her slightly nervous. "I know you don't want to see me, but I really wanted to see you. I've missed you so much."

She sighed, long and hard. "Somewhere in between wishing I'd never met you, I've missed you too."

Hope rushed through Ash. She didn't completely hate him. It was progress, at least.

Wanting to keep the somewhat friendly conversation, he tried to stay away from more dangerous subjects. Problem was, when talking with Misty, almost everything could lead into a dangerous subject. Especially under the circumstances. Ash tentatively approached the first thing he could think of.

"You look… well."

She almost couldn't stop her lips from curving for a second time. "Wow Ash. Your compliments still continue to amaze me."

He gave an embarrassed laugh. "Hey well I would say that your kind habit of making fun of me still continues to amaze me, but it doesn't."

"Oh? And why is that?"

"Probably because I expected nothing less from the _great_ Misty Waterflower."

She nearly laughed, the carefree sound aching to escape through her teeth. Misty wanted to kick herself for standing there and letting him charm her. Just like when they had fought during the many years of travelling together, she felt her anger slowly begin to soften. It was no where near gone, as it ran much too deep this time for him to make it completely disappear, but letting the shield of ice she'd built around her melt, even if just a little bit, was definitely a bad idea. 

Misty sucked in a breath, hoping she looked calmer than she felt. "Oh well would you look at the time, I really should be getting back! You see Brock is on his way home and I'm expecting his call right about now."

Ash took a hold of her arm before she could try and retreat and tapped her bare wrist with his index finger. "I would look at the time, but problem is you don't have a watch on."

A large sweatdrop formed on the back of her head. He watched her, greatly amused, as she flustered and tried to think of something to cover her mistake. Failing to come up with an excuse, she gave a sigh of resignation and smiled sheepishly. "I guess I should plan out my excuses better next time, huh?"

He grinned. "Guess so."

The breeze picked up and floated softly around them, invading their nostrils with the scents of the forest. It reminded her so much of their journeys as teenagers that at that moment, for a few seconds she closed her eyes and indulged in the memories of being carefree and young. She was fifteen again and travelling with her best friends. It was nearing dusk and she was complaining about her feet hurting from walking so long, hoping to get Ash's attention. Brock had expressed his concern and suggested that they put up camp somewhere soon before it got dark. Finally Ash had taken his focus off of polishing his badges and turned to her just as she, not watching the ground in front of her, stumbled over a rock. Always quick on his feet, Ash had quickly dropped the items in his hands to reach out and steady her before she fell. Misty could remember how she had swooned inside at his touch, forgetting all about her aching feet. Maybe, just maybe he really did care. Maybe she really did mean more to him than his stupid pokemon career. Maybe she…

Maybe she did far too much wishful thinking.

And with that last thought the moment abruptly ended. The flashback cleared away and she found herself staring into the face of a much older and more attractive Ash, all too aware of his close presence, of her hand still in his. Well Misty was not fifteen anymore and no longer as naïve and full of romantic daydreams. She was not going to stand there and have her heart flutter over something as foolish as a simple look or touch from him.

"Ash, I think I should – "

The kiss was sudden, though she should have expected it. Before Misty could utter a single protest, the sweet meeting of his lips upon hers brought a tingling sensation of rising blood and emotion. She had never experienced a kiss quite like this before. The conflicting love, pain, lust, and guilt that streamed through her veins both frightened and exhilarated her. Not even their first kiss years ago could compare to the strong need she felt now.

With a low moan escaping her throat in a voice she barely recognized, Misty clutched his shirt frantically and brought her mouth hungrily down on his. 

Ash's hands caressed her almost roughly, desperate to prove that she was actually there, that this was real. His fingers trailed across her cheeks until they reached her hair, basking in the now tangled mass of red that he had always loved to play with. He whispered her name against her neck, eyes closed in pipe dreams of them being together again. Together again after so many nights of loneliness and regret.

Hearing him speak, a voice that wasn't her husband's, her own eyes shot open. What was she doing? How could she do this to Brock? To them? Panicked as the new realization came to her, Misty gave a muffled cry and pulled back, taking an unsteady step away from him.

Ash didn't try to stop her, a rueful understanding filling him. He knew why she had moved away. Had known when he had been kissing her that the feeling of everything being right and whole again wouldn't be able to last. Still he hadn't been able to stop himself, needing to feel her against him at least one more time. And now the lingering warmth of where her lips and body had touched his was not comfort, but torture.

"Oh God, what have we done?" She had turned her large aqua eyes toward him again, the confused misery in them all too apparent. "How could I have betrayed Brock like this?"

"Maybe you don't love him."

"You don't know anything!" Misty snapped fiercely, outraged by his quiet and almost hopeful statement. "I love him very much, Brock is everything to me."

"Then what am I?" he whispered, refusing to yield.

"Nothing," the reply came without pause, her voice chilling again. "You became nothing the day I woke up to find you gone."

"…That kiss didn't seem like nothing."

"Yeah well all it was just another stupid mistake."

Hurt and anger flashed across his expression. "Are you just toying with me then?"

She gave a dry laugh. "Me toying with you? Oh that's rich. You're the one who keeps stringing _me_ along!"

"But it wasn't supposed to happen that way! You weren't supposed to get hurt."

"Oh so you thought I would be just peachy when you used me for sex and then dropped me? Is that what was supposed to happen?"

"No!" He was appalled at the idea. "That was not my intentions at all! If sex had been all I wanted then why would I have waited so many years?"

She sighed and squeezed her eyes shut, trying to will away the headache. "I don't know."

Ash clenched his fist in frustration. "Why is it always like this? Why do we have to fight every time we see or talk to each other?"

"Because you left me and I can't forgive you for it!"

He touched her pale face softly for a moment. "I came back because I realized I didn't want a life without you in it. 

"I don't care! You… you broke your promise to me."

"But you're wrong. I didn't break that promise—you still have my heart, Misty."

Her mind whirled with mixed emotions, she quickly latched onto the only one she felt safe expressing: _anger_. "Damn you Ash Ketchum!" She began to pound her fists on his chest, tears slowly streaking down her face. "Damn you for always making me laugh when I want to cry, damn you for always making me stay by your side when I want to leave, and damn you for always making me love you when I want to hate you!"

He did not try to defend himself, only calmly took the blows in silence. After a few minutes, Misty let out a frustrated sob as her arms dropped to her sides in defeat. Her shoulders shook with each gasping breath she drew in. Her mouth quivered in sadness -- or perhaps it was rage, he wasn't exactly sure. Furious at herself for letting him see her cry, even though it had only been for a few seconds, she hastily tried to wipe away her tears, fighting against the fresh ones threatening to form.

Ash slowly wrapped his arms around her, allowing her the chance to step away if she wished. She cringed but did not pull away from his warm embrace. "Misty," he began gently, failing at getting a response from her like he had hoped he would. "Misty, it's okay."

She didn't meet his eyes. "No, It's not okay," she murmured into his shoulder, sounding like a wounded but determined child. 

He stroked her hair soothingly. "We can make it okay again."

She stiffened and angrily broke away from his hold, from his touch. One more minute in his warmth and she feared she would never be able to leave it. "No."

"I – "

"No! Don't you see? It can never be okay between us again!" She looked away, sounding drained. "I have to go now."

He looked crestfallen as he reached out to touch her arm again. "Don't leave."

"I can do as I please," she snapped, her voice inadvertently rising to a shout. "You can't tell me what to do!" She ripped her arm from his grasp and fled for the second time that day. This time without looking back.

Ash watched her retreat, deciding that going after her would be even worse an idea than it would have been in the street. He gingerly touched his injured chest, remembering not the wild anger, but the fear in her eyes as she had struck him. She was scared of him, of what she still felt for him.

With a weary breath he noticed that any last trace of Misty had already disappeared into the dense forest of trees. He sat heavily onto a rotting log, trying to put his head back together. It was like some never ending soap opera and he absolutely hated soap operas. The irony just never stopped. And though he found nothing funny about the situation he almost wanted to laugh as he sat there, her last words ringing through his head once more. 

Him tell her what to do? _Ha._

He had never been able to control her anymore than she had him.

~*-*-*~

From his seat on the airplane, Brock punched in the numbers of his house for the third time that day. At hearing the monotonous answering machine once again, he frowned and clicked off the power of his cell phone. Misty had said she would be at the house all afternoon and to call during his flight so she would know what time he would arrive home, but so far she hadn't answered his calls. 

From beside him the obnoxious passenger he had been forced to sit beside on the plane began to snore loudly, causing quite a few heads to turn in annoyance. Brock groaned and moved closer to the window. Here he had been thinking it was a blessing that he no longer had to politely listen to his endless chattering, but it turned out the man was just as bad unconscious as when he was awake. 

Trying to pass the remaining time he turned and watched the clouds the plane had now began to descend into. Even though he knew it was probably silly of him to worry, there was a strange knot in the pit of his stomach. He didn't know why, but he couldn't help but feel like something was wrong. But there was no need to feel uneasy, he thought, trying to assure himself. He would be home in about another half an hour or so and in his wife's loving arms. Everything was fine.

But then why wasn't Misty answering the phone?

~*-*-*~

Misty completed one last stroke, her arms and legs gracefully lifting from the water. Reaching the wall she brought her body to a stop and emerged to the surface. Droplets cascaded from her hair and down her face as she reveled in the familiar and comforting feel of her favorite liquid. Whenever Misty had a problem or needed to relax, her private pool was where she always headed. Off limits from the other pools of the gym, this one belonged to her and only her. It was her escape from the world.

Pulling herself onto the deck, she idly used a towel to dry her dripping hair and body. The room was empty and quiet, the only presence and sounds her own. It was just how she wanted it. After running away from Ash she had instantly retreated here to swim and recollect her thoughts. It had calmed her somewhat, but had done nothing to soothe her nerves or the tangled mess that was her mind.

With a sigh she slipped off her bikini and pulled her clothes back on. She had lost complete track of time and forgot all about Brock's flight this afternoon. She should hurry up and get home, with luck she could beat him there so she would have a chance to tidy up. Not bothering to fix her hair she collected her things and after a few words with her right-hand man, she headed out the exit of the gym.

Even though she rarely did battles herself anymore, as she had hired people to do so, Misty was still often needed at the gym. Because of this their house was conveniently located in short walking distance from it. It only took a few minutes for their cheerful well-sized house to come into her view, and as she spotted the Brock's vehicle in the driveway, a bright smile formed on her face. No longer caring about tidying the house she jogged the rest of the way, eager to see her husband.

Opening the front door, she threw her stuff onto the ground in the hallway and ventured into the house. "Brock? Where are you?"

"Misty!" He appeared in front of her, his face flushed with pleasure. He took her in his arms and gave her a long sweeping kiss that nearly knocked her off her feet. When they broke apart he smiled lovingly. "I missed you."

"I missed you more. I hate when you're gone so long." She kissed him lightly. "How was your trip?"

"It was fine except for the flight home but anyway enough about that I have a surprise for you." 

"A surprise?"

"Yes." He looked excited, almost bubbly as he took her hand and guided her into the living room. "You'll never guess who's here!"

"Who?" she all but whispered, her heart sinking and her smile fading as the obvious answer rang all too clear.

"Hello Misty." Ash stood up from his seat on the couch, his face unreadable. "It's good to see you again."

Her voice was lost through the surge of anger that poured through her.

Brock didn't seem to notice, grinning broadly as he put an arm around her waist. "Ash told me all about why he left and didn't contact us, why didn't you just tell me so? It all makes so much sense now. And here I have been thinking he no longer cared about us. I feel like such a fool for ever believing you wouldn't come back."

Misty quickly sent Ash a piercing and questioning glare. From the look he returned she could tell he hadn't told Brock the truth about the night they had spent together before he had taken off. And with another quick glance at Brock she could tell that he also hadn't said anything about the kiss they had just shared merely an hour before or even the fact that they had seen each other. "He… he did?"

"Yeah, all about how he told you he loved you but you told him you couldn't return his feelings so he didn't feel he could stay anymore and left heartbroken."

Hysterical laughter nearly bubbled to the surface before she hastily suppressed it. Couldn't return _his_ feelings? Oh it just kept getting better and better. _She_ had been the one left heartbroken. Misty shot the younger man another glare, but he only shrugged in response, as if it had been the best he could come up with in short notice. 

It looked like she might as well follow along for now.

"Uh yes," she started, floundering a moment for something to say. "Well I didn't want to talk about it because I felt really bad and guilty. And," she continued, more sure of herself now and looking directly at Ash, hoping he knew she was talking about him, "I felt like I was a horrible person." She turned to Brock again and attempted a smile. "Sorry we didn't tell you sooner."

"Oh it's perfectly fine, I understand why he left and why neither of you wanted to say anything. I'm just glad we finally get to see you again, Ash." Brock nearly glowed as he looked happily at both his wife and his now reunited best friend. "And now that we're all here the famous trio is back in business. We can be together again like always," he added hopefully.

Ash moved over and clasped Brock on the shoulder. "I'd love to."

Brock returned the amicable gesture. "This is so great. Best welcome home I've ever had! Oh and Misty darling I invited Ash to come and live with us for awhile until he finds a house nearby. I hope you don't mind, I didn't think you would. I can fix up the guestroom after we eat."

Misty stood there feeling numb and speechless. It always amazed her of how Brock was always so kind and compassionate. She had a feeling that as soon as he had seen Ash he had forgotten all about his hurtful absence the years before and had wrapped him in a huge hug, all now forgiven. She dreaded the wounded look that would appear on his face if he were to ever know the truth.

Brock kissed her forehead, seeming to take her silence as a yes. "Well I guess I should start supper now. I'm starved! I'm thinking about some nice lemon flavored chicken and salad, how does that sound?"

She pulled herself out of the daze she had fallen into. "It sounds delicious, honey. I'll go set the table." She turned, trying to make the strain in her voice less noticeable. "Ash, why don't you help me?"

He looked at her surprised. Not realizing that her polite tone was forced or seeing the motive behind her actions, he smiled. "Sure." Ash stood up and grabbed the plates, leaving her to take the silverware, and followed her into the dining room. 

As soon as the door closed behind them and everything was safely on the table she whirled around angrily. "What do you think you're doing?" she hissed, fingers digging into his arm

"Hey, hold on, take it easy."

"How dare you come here!"

"You know everything doesn't revolve around you Misty, some people are glad to see me again." He glanced back in the direction they had left Brock. "Just look how happy he is."

Her teeth clenched. "I don't get what you came here for. Haven't you hurt Brock and I enough already?"

He tried to not let that question affect him, but failed. "I was going to leave but then I was thinking about things and I decided I that I couldn't leave without seeing Brock again too. And once I came in the door and saw his face light up I knew that this is where I always belonged." He looked up pleadingly. "I want us to all be together again Misty, like how it used to be."

"Oh, you mean how it used to be before you left for three years. God Ash, how can you expect to just come back and have everything be all nice and dandy and just how you left it? Especially with what happened! It will never be the same between you and I again, as it is I can barely stand being in the same room with you." And couldn't ignore how his lips had felt on hers, how her body fit perfectly with his.

"Did you ever think that maybe if we try to forget what happened that we could have the thing that's been missing from all three of our lives?"

Misty had to take a breath to control herself from raising her voice to a loudness that not only Brock would hear but the whole neighborhood. "First of all, I will _never_ forget what happened. And secondly, we don't need you in our lives anymore. All we ever were was your sidekicks anyway."

"You were _never_ my sidekicks, and you know what I think Brock can speak for himself. He doesn't need you answering for him, especially when it's not even how he feels. We both know he's missed me just as much as I've missed him. The three of us were like family. You can't imagine how much I wish I had never left it or how much I want it back."

"Yeah well you can't have everything you want, Ash."

He looked at her sadly. "I know that." Just as he knew the sweet and spicy taste of her would forever be engraved within his brain. "But I always try my hardest to reach my goals. And I know Brock would love to have our friendship reunited."

She wanted to argue his point but from the other room she could hear Brock's cheery humming as he bustled around the kitchen. It was clearly evident that Ash was right. Misty wrung her hands and gave a low cry of frustration. "Well what am I supposed to do, hmm? Just go on and pretend everything is peachy? That there never was and still isn't anything between us? That I didn't spend almost two years with my heart aching to the point where I couldn't sleep? That you didn't just kiss me in a forest and that I'm not afraid and confused about what I feel?"

"Look," he placed his hands gently on her shoulders. "I'm sorry Misty. I'm sorry for more things than you could ever know. Yes I did come to Cerulean with the intent to try and make up for what I've done, to see if there was any chance left between us after I ruined everything, but now I realize that there isn't. You're happy and Brock's happy and I have no right or desire to come between it. I won't try anything again, I'll keep my distance."

Misty took a step back, just enough so she was now out of his reach. "Just leave. You should leave," she choked, her voice barely audible.

"I can't."

"Yes you can, and you should do it soon!"

He shoved his hands in his pockets. "Okay, I know it's going to take awhile for you to forgive me…"

"You're damn right about that," Misty began hotly. "I probably never will–"

"And I probably deserve it, I know," he said quickly, cutting her off. "But please, if I can't have your love, at least let me try and regain your friendship."

She pressed her lips together and looked down, pretending to be fascinated with the floor. "It's not that easy."

"I know. Damn it, I know. But I need you and Brock again. My life is empty without you guys in it."

"Well you are right about one thing, Brock would love to have us all reunited again…" She trailed off lost in thought, her husband's wide grin and humming still playing in her mind. It would be unfair and selfish of her to stop Brock from having his best friend back and the happiness that would come with it. She knew he had missed Ash terribly, missed the younger boy's love and companionship. Maybe for once it was time to stop thinking about herself…

"Fine," she murmured unhappily.

"Fine?" His hopes soared despite her weary and reluctant voice. "Fine?"

"Fine, as in fine you can stay!" Misty snapped testily. "But hear this and listen well; I'm doing this only for him, not for you. I'll be as pleasant as I can for his sake but don't expect anything. I give you no promises of a friendship or even anything remotely like it." She gave a toss of her fiery red hair, a gesture that spoke volumes. "Of course it's not like promises mean anything to you anyway." 

And with that she walked back into the kitchen and rejoined Brock.

~*-*-*~

Tracey Sketchit cracked his knuckles, a habit he had developed as a ritual before painting his subjects, and studied the pretty young woman sitting in front of him. Messy, un-brushed red hair fell to her shoulders, framing her unusually pale face and large aqua eyes filled with what looked like despair. He hadn't seen her look like this since the first months after Ash had left. He noted the mild irony that she now looked the same way but this time due to his return.

Misty had called him about four hours before, asking him to meet her. He had heard something wrong in her voice and had immediately agreed. It wasn't a very long drive from Pallet Town and he didn't mind taking the trip. Besides it had been a few months since he had last visited Misty and Brock in Cerulean. She had greeted him anxiously and brought him inside. Since then he had been sitting beside her and listening intently.

Knowing he wouldn't object, Misty paused and closed her eyes, thinking back to the events that had occurred before she had called him. Dinner had stretched on agonizingly long a she had sat there quietly, a fake smile plastered on her face. Ash and Brock had cheerfully reminisced about this and that, happy to be together. A few times they had tried to draw her into the conversation but mostly had forgotten about her. She had felt Ash's occasional lingering gazes across the table but chose to do her best to ignore the heat that she had felt from them. Finally she had no longer been able to bare the conflicting emotions in her head and had managed to excuse herself saying she had shopping to do and wanted to give them a chance to continue catching up. The moment she had broken free from what had felt like a prison, she had called Tracey, desperately needing his advice and company.

Tracey and her had become close friends over the past five years or so, bonding over an assignment he had been doing in Cerulean on water pokemon. Since then she had gotten to know him a lot better and was always delighted when he came by to visit. He was a kind man, full of endless patience. Misty found she could talk to him for hours on end and neither of them would ever bore of it. He was always there to listen when she needed him. 

Right now was one of those times.

"So you see," she finished, having now spilled her whole story to him for the last half and hour, "Now I have no idea what to do!"

If Tracey had been surprised by any of her confession, his gentle, nonjudgmental eyes didn't show it. He drew in a long considering breath of air before he spoke. "Well I wish I knew what to tell you, Misty, but I don't. This is a hard situation, I think it's something you'll have to mostly figure out yourself. But I will tell you one thing that has become pretty clear to me as you've been talking."

"Oh?

You still love him," he said simply, hoping he wouldn't upset her.

"No I don't," Misty insisted, her voice sounding almost frantic. He looked at her solemnly, unsure of whom she was trying to convince more: him or herself.

"I'm sorry but I can see it in your eyes and hear it in your voice. And we both know I'm very good at examining things and seeing their emotions."

"But I can't love him still," she said shaking her head, refusing to believe. "He's been gone for years."

"Ah, but you know how that saying goes. 'Absence makes the heart grow fonder.'"

"Well that might be true but what about the saying, 'Absence makes the heart grow fonder but the more days that disappear, the more the feelings do too.'"

He looked at her thoughtfully. "I don't believe I've ever heard that saying."

"Yeah well probably because I just made it up." She fell back onto the chair, depressed. "This is a huge mess."

"Tell me something," he said suddenly, leaning closer. "Do you still love Brock?"

She was surprised at the question, her eyes narrowing in offense. "Of course I do!"

"Then why did you kiss Ash?"

"I didn't kiss him, he kissed me," she retorted at once, turning away.

"Then why haven't you told Brock the truth about what happened in the past? Or more importantly, the truth about what happened today?"

He had her there. Misty stammered until she fell silent, unable to answer.

"That's what I thought. Listen, I really think you should tell him. It's never good to keep secrets and he deserves to know."

"Yes I know, but –"

"And as for Ash I think he was probably sincere about not wanting to come between you and Brock but just wanting your friendship and forgiveness. Maybe you should try getting along with him again and who knows perhaps building a new friendship and base of trust with him will be just what you need to sort out your feelings and realize exactly who and what it is that you do want."

"But it's so hard," she said helplessly, not knowing what else to say.

"Yes but you're a strong, smart woman. Follow your head and your heart and hopefully they will guide you in the right direction. But be sure to be truthful to both of them, more lies and betrayal will only make things worse."

Misty sighed and stood up, letting it sink it. "I should really go home now, but thank you so much for coming Tracey. I'm really glad you're here."

He stood up as well, briefly putting a comforting arm around her. "No need to thank me. You know I'm always happy to do it."

"Where are you staying? You could stay with us at the house if you wish, I'm sure we could make room."

"Oh, no, that's okay I already have reservations at a hotel so no worries there. However," he said smiling gently, "You can expect me to show up at your door early tomorrow. Tell Brock I can't wait to be fed a hearty breakfast."

She gave him a small smile. "I will."

Tracey turned to leave, then stopped and hesitantly spoke again, his voice low. "I'm sorry I couldn't be of more help and I know that you don't want to hurt anybody Misty, but remember this: if you're not careful you might end up hurting everyone instead."

Misty watched the door close heavily behind him, his warning ringing loudly in her ears.

~*-*-*~

End Chapter Two

~*-*-*~

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Disclaimer: The only thing I own is the idea for this fanfic. The lyrics used in the beginning are from "Why Should I Care" by Toni Braxton.

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Author's Notes: Two chapters down, two left to go. Whew, finally! This one took me quite awhile to finish, but I hope it was well worth the effort. And yes I realize that I still haven't had Ash explain why he left, you can expect that in chapter three (as well as much more may I add ^_^ hehe).

As always comments, questions, ideas, and constructive criticism are all very much appreciated!

~*-*-*~


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